Gods & Monsters: The Gods & Monsters Trilogy Book 1

by Janie Marie

  She blushed and shook her head. “It’s fine. I need to get used to you touching me. It just startled me.”

  He shook his head. “I should be more mindful with my actions around you. I know you do not wish to pursue anything between us. I apologize.”

  It was easy to pick up on his disappointment, and she didn’t know how to tell him they couldn’t be together. “David, I wish things were simpler.”

  “Jane, we do not have to discuss this now. It is probably best we wait until you are at least fed before we talk.”

  “You’re right.” She glanced at his neck but looked away quickly.

  “I should have continued drawing my blood for you. I can make sure I draw it from now on.”

  “No, this is fine,” she said, realizing he was also worried about her feeding from him. “I promise I’ll try to control myself more.”

  His thumb rubbed her bottom lip; she didn’t even realize he was still holding her chin. With a small sigh, her lips parted a tiny bit, and she struggled not to suck his thumb into her mouth. She couldn’t help but love the slight burning sensation their skin to skin contact created.

  “I will not let you do anything you’ll regret, Jane.” His voice was slightly husky but it was a genuine promise. “Maybe you will be more comfortable taking from my wrist.”

  Her fangs had already extended. She stared at the inside of his wrist and wiggled on his lap. David pulled her back to his chest. She tried to turn back to face him, but he hushed her. “Here, sweetheart.” He offered up his wrist and squeezed her with the arm around her waist. “Go on. I will stop you.”

  She was desperately trying to remain aware of what she was doing, but every part of her wanted him.

  However, she tried to keep her mind focused and gave him a nod. Her lips brushed against his hot skin. She wanted to kiss, lick… suck.

  David let out a strained hiss, but Jane wasn’t swayed by it. She bit into his flesh. Nothing matched the complete ecstasy that came from David.

  “Mmm.” She moaned, rocking her body. David tightened his hold and exhaled. The taste of his blood and skin was addicting.

  David dug his fingers into her hips. “That’s enough, Jane.”

  She wanted to protest, but she obeyed and licked at his puncture wounds without considering how heavily David was breathing. After she finished licking up every drop of his delicious blood, she slumped back against his chest.

  “Good girl,” he said before softly kissing the back of her head.

  Jane smiled, proud for fighting her desire, but David’s uneven breaths caught her attention, and pulled her from her high. “David?”

  He didn’t answer, and she began to turn, but he quickly stopped her from shifting on his lap by gripping her hips tightly. “Don’t move, sweetheart.” He hissed as he rested his forehead against her shoulder.

  “David?” She grew scared, thinking she might have taken too much blood from him.

  “I’m not hurt, baby.”

  Jane stayed still and listened to his breathing slowly become steady. It remained heavy, though. She was about to get help when she suddenly realized what was wrong.

  She gasped at the feel of his erection against her backside, and she shivered as a delightful quiver settled between her thighs. She wanted to beg for him to come closer—to be inside her. It was wrong, but it felt so right.

  It took all her mental strength to close her eyes and think of something other than David pushing her down on all fours, lifting her ass, and entering her from behind.

  She moaned and delighted in his grip tightening on her hips. All she had to do was move a little more, and he would start relieving that ache. “David.” Her voice shook.

  “Quiet.” The sharp tone of his voice did nothing but turn her on more. He pressed his forehead against her shoulder and flexed his fingers as he exhaled.

  A bead of sweat rolled down her back. It was wrong to have these sorts of thoughts, but now she was desperate to see and feel more. She squeezed her eyes tighter and concentrated on her breathing, constantly listing off reasons as to why this was wrong. A little whisper deep within told her she was only hurting herself with her choice not to be with him. It promised David was right. Just give in, it said.

  God, she wanted to listen to it, but she fought against her desire for him. It took a few minutes, but they both steadied their breathing and sat in silence.

  “Well, that was awkward,” she said.

  David chuckled. “I am sorry. I already failed at my promise. I should have thought this feeding through more. You feel too good.” He loosened his hold but slid his palms along her hips.

  “It’s fine, thank you,” she said, laughing softly and tried not to love his touch. She knew he was unaware of what he was doing. “I was um, kinda all over your—you know.”

  “I know.” He chuckled, letting go of her hips and hugged her. “I would blame these shorts and tank top, but considering I’m the one who put them in your drawer, it is my fault you’re wearing them.”

  “You only put tight clothes in there! Anything loose is yours.”

  His deep laugh made her smile. “I like to admire you.” God, she almost swooned as he kissed her shoulder. “I still apologize. I will try, but you make it hard when you move like that.”

  Jane covered her face then fanned herself. “I’m embarrassed to move. Is it gone?”

  “I hope not.”

  “David!” She hid her face in her hands. “You’re awful. I thought you were supposed to be all proper!”

  He hugged her. “It is still there, but I am not as aroused. I take that back; I am very aroused, but I am in control.”

  Jane chuckled and leaned against him more. “Should I go get ready now?”

  “Yes. That is probably best.” He let out a groan and hugged her as he mumbled against her shoulder. “You should have new gear upstairs. Go take a bath and nap. After you get up, we can eat a meal together.” He kissed her shoulder once more and gently lifted her off his lap as he stood up. The boyish look he gave her when she turned made her melt.

  She didn’t know why she did it, but she looked down at his crotch. “Holy shit,” she whispered. Once she realized what she’d said and done, she snapped her head up and stared at him with wide eyes. She had not forgotten while she was under the control of her entity that she basically rode that. No wonder she had her first orgasm. She was sort of disappointed she didn’t actually experience it. Bad Jane!

  David smirked as he took in her flushed cheeks.

  “Bye!” She squeaked before she ran out of the room.

  David laughed at her silliness and went to the kitchen. She took a lot of blood from him, yet he was sure most of his blood was still in his pants.

  He tried to adjust himself as he walked to the kitchen. David completely forgot there were others in the house, and he halted when five pairs of eyes stared at him as he entered the breakfast nook. He glared at each of them, then snatched the glass of blood from Gawain’s hand. He chugged it down while their loud laughter filled the room.

  “Shut up,” was all he managed to say.

  They laughed louder.

  The reflection in the mirror smiled back at Jane. A genuine smile. She wasn’t used to seeing any sort of happiness in her eyes, but that is how they appeared: bright and sparkling. She noticed the brighter bits of green were faded, and her eyes were a more golden than she was used to.

  “Weird,” she muttered as she watched the gold dance around the green color, sparking whenever it managed to touch it.

  She decided it wasn’t wise to inspect her newer appearance, and quickly put her hair into a ponytail before she attached David’s dagger to her waist. She felt much more confident in her ability to defend herself. This time she promised herself she’d be an asset to her knights.

  David had faith in her, and Death claimed that she would be nothing but the best. She figured Death would always praise her, but their praise gave her a newer bit of confidence in herself. So sh
e took in her reflection once more before heading out the door to search for David.

  As soon as she started down the hall, it dawned on her David had only been staying in the room with her. Besides the meal he’d brought her, she hadn’t seen much of him. He’d been doing things outside and across the street. She wondered if he had gotten a chance to clean up like she had. Maybe he had been waiting for her to leave the room.

  The only way to find out was to ask him. Jane closed her eyes and took in a deep breath, instantly picking up his delicious scent down the hall.

  She knew if she were caught right now as she crept along the wall like a ninja assassin, she’d die of embarrassment, but she had to amuse herself somehow. Anything to distract her from what had happened between them downstairs.

  She’d always done this to Death when she was younger, but he never even flinched at her attempts to scare him.

  So she crept along the wall and grinned when she discovered that David hadn’t shut the door all the way. Perfect.

  Jane positioned herself in front of the door and held her breath. Besides a rustling noise, there was no indication he’d heard her. She was careful not to give herself away, and she lifted her foot and kicked the door wide open, slamming it into the wall as she jumped into the room with a roar.

  Her battle cry quickly turned into a pathetic croak.

  David stood there with a completely stunned expression on his handsome face. Laughs sounded from somewhere downstairs, but it was as if she hadn’t heard a thing. She was too absorbed in the perfectness of a shirtless David.

  The rustling she heard must have been him dressing, and when she had kicked the door open, he was midway through zipping his pants.

  God, help me, she thought as her eyes ravaged every inch of muscle on his sculpted body. There were no thoughts on the fact he was watching her check him out so shamelessly. Not even when he finished zipping and buttoning his pants did she notice he’d just stood there, smiling. She was too entranced, watching the muscles in his arms flex from every tiny movement. She couldn’t look away.

  He reached for the T-shirt on the chair next to him. Jane swallowed, watching his abs contract from the small action and nearly collapsed when her eyes drifted down to the tempting v-cut leading into his pants. “Oh, wow,” she whispered a little too dreamily.

  David chuckled, which finally brought her attention to his elated face. At that moment, when his eyes practically laughed at her, she prayed for the ground to rip open and swallow her whole.

  A smirk formed on his lips. “Do not become embarrassed for simply looking at what is yours, baby.”

  Jane couldn’t believe how much he sounded like Death right then. The teasing gleam didn’t leave his sapphire eyes after he pulled his shirt over his head either.

  He smiled and stepped in front of her. “I did not mean to embarrass you. Although, I admit, I am happy you like what you saw.”

  She gasped and shot her hand out to smack his chest, which he caught and laughed as he pulled her into a hug.

  “Jane, I’ll stop now. Do you forgive me?” He even gave her a sad puppy-dog look.

  Oh, crap! Who taught him that look?

  “Fine,” she said with a glare to try to hide her embarrassment.

  “Thank you.” His smile stretched wider as he let go of her hand.

  She crossed her arms to make sure she didn’t touch him or do something even more ridiculous and started toward the door.

  “He didn’t even flinch. Stupid vampires and angels… not scared of anything. Muscles…”

  David stayed quiet as she continued her rant, and followed behind her. She stomped angrily down the stairs and completely ignored Arthur when she passed him in the hall.

  Arthur held up his hand to stop David, but Jane continued around the corner and out of their sight.

  “You shouldn’t tease her.” Arthur shook his head but smiled.

  David shrugged. “She’s not mad.” Arthur raised an eyebrow at him. “She tried to scare me first.”

  “Be careful on your shift, okay? I have a bad feeling about letting you go out with her again.”

  David frowned, knowing that they had to return to more serious matters and nodded. As he rounded the corner, though, his smile returned.

  There, he found Jane clinging to Gareth’s back as she pinched his cheeks. His friends, Gawain, Tristan, Bors, and Geraint, held their stomachs as tears streamed down their smiling faces.

  “Apologize,” she hollered in Gareth’s ear.

  The knight in question laughed and gasped for air while his hands gripped her thighs to prevent her from falling.

  “I’m sorry, Jane!” Gareth finally wheezed out, laughing when she pinched harder. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say you want to kiss David’s abs… Because I was mistaken—you want to lick them!”

  Jane gasped, a mortified look spreading over her face. She quickly let go of one cheek before pinching the fuck out his friend’s neck.

  Gareth screamed out. A high-pitch, girl scream that David had never heard before.

  The entire room went silent, and they blinked at Gareth’s flushed face before erupting into louder laughs, Jane being the loudest with Gawain as she let go of Gareth in her fit of giggles.

  Gareth, too stunned with his own reaction to keep his grip, didn’t even notice her falling. But it hardly mattered, David rushed forward and caught her just before her back could meet the floor, and he pulled her up.

  Still too absorbed in her laughter, she didn’t even register she had nearly fallen.

  David smiled, but his laughter wasn’t from Gareth’s humiliation. Her happy face did it for him, and he didn’t care to worry about anything else. He planted a kiss to the top of her head and hugged her tight. He’d worry about the awkward and shitty parts of their relationship some other time.

  SCOWLING, GARETH STOMPED his way past Jane. She and many of the other knights were currently gearing up in the garage of their base camp. Nearly ten minutes had passed since she’d made Gareth scream, and he was still in a foul mood. It didn’t help that Gawain continued to pick at him every chance he got either.

  Gawain laughed. “Jane doesn’t even scream like that.”

  Despite her efforts to stay quiet, a giggle escaped from Jane’s tightly pressed lips.

  David looked up at her and smiled. He was on a knee in front of her, adjusting her holsters. She grinned down at him but quickly clamped her mouth shut when Gareth glared at her.

  Gareth roughly sheathed his sword as he kept his gaze locked with hers. “It’s not even that funny, Jane.”

  David sighed, looking annoyed now. “Gareth.” It was a warning, and everyone looked up that time.

  Gawain butted in. “Aw, let them go at it, David. Cat Fight!”

  “You ass!” Gareth shouted.

  “Gawain, that’s enough,” David said.

  Jane frowned watching Gareth grow more upset. “I’m sorry, Gareth.”

  He looked at her and calmed. “I’m not mad at you, darling.” He winked at her but smacked Gawain hard on the head when he passed him.

  “What the hell?” Gawain yelled.

  Gareth only shrugged and continued walking away. David finished adjusting her belts and stood up. He cupped her cheeks which ached from all the smiling she’d done.

  She sighed and nuzzled her face against his incredibly warm hands while his eyes followed her every move. Jane blushed, she’d never seen a man look at her the way David did, and she didn’t know if she’d ever get used to him.

  David kissed her forehead and whispered, “You look beautiful.” She wasn’t beautiful, but it was nice to hear him say it, so she smiled. He let go of her face and pointed to her side. “You have four extra clips this time; we are all carrying more. Aim for the head or heart. Anything else is only going to piss them off and draw more to you.”

  “Are these silver bullets?” she asked, peeking at one clip.

  “No. Arthur said we can expect the drop of new ammuniti
on tomorrow night. You do not want to become dependent on silver weapons anyway. It’s useful in a fight, but you need to be confident without tricks. Think about your powers for a moment; they are incredible and devastating, but if you are unable to use them, you can only rely on your skill as a fighter.”

  “What do you consider my skill as a fighter?”

  “You’re unpredictable,” he said without hesitation. “Because of our creation, my skill was enhanced by Michael’s. You gained my skill as well as some of his. You lack finesse, but it is there. Although, watching you spar, I would say you have your own style that flares up as well. You almost seem to predict your opponent’s attacks or know that you will achieve your desired goal.”

  “Really?” She smiled.

  “It’s impressive. Though your focus often shifts when you worry or think too hard. When that happens, you leave yourself open. When you get angry, your force and speed increase, but your technique becomes sloppy. But when you’re balanced, you are a beautiful and devastating force to behold.”

  A warm sensation spread through her chest. “So, I should try to stay focused and balanced.”

  He smiled that beautiful smile of his. “And follow my command. When I tell you to do something, trust me and do as I say. So, when I say try to avoid close combat, you do so unless it is necessary. Your lethality increases with your sword, but I want you to stay as far from the wolves as possible.”

  Jane pursed her lips. “So you’re not confident I can handle myself?”

  He sighed. “Sweetheart, I am not saying you are not capable—you are. I simply cannot stand the thought of you hurt again.”

  “But I want to help. I know I can do better this time.”

  “You did terrific last time, and you will do better this time. Just promise me, if you do engage in close combat and are surrounded, you will use your blast to get them off you. I don’t care if it means you hit one of us. Don’t worry about anything but saving yourself.”

  “I don’t want to hurt one of you.” She frowned.